A slowing economy and a slump in print advertising haven’t deterred competitors looking to knock 5280 from its perch as Denver’s leading lifestyle magazine. Denver Magazine has launched a direct assault on the high-end readership that supports the magazine. So too did Shine, a glossy number that fell by the wayside after one issue. And 5280 continues to deal with an old rival, Colorado Expression.

“Our business is up right now. If the competition is having an effect, we haven’t seen it,” said Daniel Brogan, editor and publisher of 5280.

Brogan said he has seen at least 10 glossy, full-color lifestyle competitors come and go in the 15 years 5280 has been around.

“This is a marathon, not a sprint,” he said.

At a time when other publications are cutting back, 5280 has tripled its reporting staff, published award-winning investigative reports and spent an additional $1 million a year on editorial content, Brogan said.

Circulation is up more than 50 percent to 85,000, and advertising revenue has doubled since the magazine boosted its content four years ago, he said.

But for Michael Ledwitz and Jay Daignault, the backers of Denver Magazine, the city is a wide-open market compared with South Florida, where their previous lifestyle magazine vied with 40 competitors.

“We are definitely targeting a higher-end market than what 5280 is targeting,” Daignault said.

Denver Magazine’s first issue generated double the ad sales expected, and plans are on track to take the magazine monthly by August, Daignault said.

The magazine printed 35,000 copies, some of which were sold and some distributed for free to wealth households to get going, Daignault said.

The first issue of Denver Magazine had a fashion focus, while the second, scheduled for April, will feature Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday in an Armani suit.

Heide Peper, chief customer strategist with Denver advertising agency McClain Finlon, said time will tell if Denver is affluent enough to support another lifestyle magazine.

“The more choices I have, the better it is for the marketplace and my clients,” Peper said.

While luxury spending is dropping along with the larger economy, the affluent end of the market is not the worst place to be, she said.

Advertisers so far are enthusiastic about having another option for targeting the high-end market.

“I’m looking for a fresh advertising vehicle to hit a certain demographic,” said Jan Nelsen, a broker-owner with Kentwood City Properties.

She described Colorado Expression as too “suburban” and 5280 as too “broad.”

Denver Magazine

Distribution: 35,000 paid and free

Frequency: Bimonthly

Colorado Expression

Distribution: 32,000 free

Frequency: Bimonthly

5280

Circulation: 85,000 paid

Frequency: Monthly

Shine

This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to a reporting error, it understated the total distribution of Denver Magazine’s first edition. The magazine printed 35,000 copies, some of which were sold and some of which were distributed for free.

Aldo Svaldi has worked at The Denver Post since 2000. His coverage areas have included residential real estate, economic development and the Colorado economy. He's also worked for Financial Times Energy, the Denver Business Journal and Arab News.

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